Jericho
by iJazz13
Summary: Amni was the first victim aboard Jericho. And when a haunting message is received by another ship, a search for survivors turns into a fight for survival. Rated M for language, violence, and gore. Please R&R!
1. Mental Disease

__After some time and rereading and new inspiration, I'm going to be partially revamping the current chapters before posting a new one. Hope you enjoy!

All games and shows are (c) their respective owners.

* * *

_Murderers! Poisoned, infected, cold blooded murderers!_

Amni was used to shooting droids. Cold metal bodies of simulated intelligence were the targets he had been trained to "kill". This was… this was something different all together. Oil had turned to blood and droids became men and women that resisted their orders. But we're following orders for the good of the Republic. It was just a simple mission to excavate and remove some stupid hunk of twisted rock that had been on an ancient moon. As many times as he repeated that to himself, it was only a hollow chant that served to temporarily quell the uneasiness that was seeping into him.

Many nights were spent staring into nothingness while his stomach twisted and churned, making him sick far more often than necessary. He had visited the medical bay many nights, with the medical officers completely baffled as to what was ailing him. There was nothing wrong with him aside from a small cut on his hand [from equipment] and a slightly high white blood cell count. It was frustrating to say the least.

It was midway through his team's sleeping hours when Amni was, once again, struck by a now familiar ache in the depths of his gut. Each acidic throb brought him closer to vomiting while foreign figures flashed before his vision. Sickly colors and hazy images of the rock they were here for appeared as a vague, superimposed, image over the figures. He clenched and unclenched his hands in an effort to overpower the nausea and hallucinations. An effort that did not produce desired results. The face of a now deceased woman, bloody and rotting, screamed at him. Her voice echoed in his ears that he was a monster… a plague.

A grunt of defeat eventually left him and he sat up to seek out something to drink. Only seconds after rising, he clapped one hand over his mouth while the other rested against his stomach as he doubled over. He was going to vomit at any minute now and the hallucinations didn't help. With some amount of luck, he managed to (literally) slip out of his bunk and leave the quarters without waking any of his brothers.

Ignoring anyone he happened to pass in the halls, Amni practically flew to the bathrooms with the occasional dizzy slam into a wall. The disturbing show didn't fail to catch the attention of the clones on shift- many stopped and stared. One tried to offer help, which he viciously denied. His singular goal was to get to the bathrooms. He made it just in time as his stomach gave a disgusting churn and he proceeded to empty the contents of his gut.

Despite having not eaten much in the way of rations, Amni ejected small hunks and sheets of what appeared to be some fleshy material, like half-digested meat. The substance was covered in a sickly and thick yellow bile that immediately made the room wreak of illness. How could he have gotten so sick? Why wasn't anyone else this ill? What was going on? He couldn't tell and the elusive answer burned in his mind. The sounds of his illness didn't go unheard, and once he had finished throwing up, he was forcefully escorted to the med bay. Before long, he was lying on a platform while med droids checked over his vitals, a clone sitting nearby getting his hand tended to after Amni had bitten him in his furious haze.

One of the many clones onboard, this one trained to be a medic, eventually stepped over and shooed the droids away. Golden-brown hues looked down at him and the two settled into a staring contest for a time. Amni blinked and tried to sit up in the end, only to be pushed right back down. "This is the eleventh time you've been in the med bay for stomach problems." The medic said flatly. Amni only vaguely registered he was being spoken to and shot the medic an irritated look. The medic continued regardless, "No fever. No hypothermia. No impaired vitals… We're checking for infections and viruses, but everything else is indicating you should be healthy."

"Well obviously something's wrong!" Amni snapped. Two nearby med droids paused and looked at him as they picked up on the distress in his voice. The medic gave him a stern gaze.

"I'm putting you on medical leave and giving you some sedatives to help you rest this off. You'll be escorted back to your quarters and I don't want you to leave until the sedatives wear off."

"Yes, Sir…" Amni grudgingly muttered.

As the medic walked off to get the sedative, Amni's eyes drifted around the area. The clone he had bitten was already gone and everything else seemed uninterested. His eyes eventually fell on a tray with surgical tools on it, the scalpel to be precise. He found himself staring long and hard at it before reaching out and snatching it up the moment he had the chance to without getting caught. What spurred him to filch the tool was beyond him. Impulse was the only thing that seemed to operate in his mind and even then it was twisted and confusing.

The tool was hidden away in the sleeve of his body glove seconds before the medic returned. He didn't seem to notice anything amiss as he gave him the sedative shot and a containment unit of water. He was them promptly escorted back to his quaters. The walk back to the room was quiet and gave him time to think. Perhaps too much time… Those haunting words returned to him and repeated over and over. His frustrations gradually grew as the voice started to scream those accusations at him.

Suddenly calm came over him and he froze midstep. He _was_ infected.

It was a horrifying revelation, yet it also brought peace to him. For the first time since that dead woman screamed those words at him, he felt at ease. Something that had never dawned on him before suddenly became lucid before his eyes. Amni started up his walking once again once he was urged to by the escort, though at a much more relaxed pace now. He returned to his quarters where his teammates slumbered and looked at each one of them.

Once the door was closed, he stepped over to Sen, his closest friend and brother, and crouched beside him noiselessly. A smile passed Amni's lips and he drew forth the surgical tool. He wasn't the only one who was poisoned… infected... sick. It was all of his closest brothers. They were ill and never even knew it. It was an illness that would consume them if he didn't do something to help them. He had to save them.

"Don't worry, Brother. I've got it all figured out. Just continue sleeping peacefully." He muttered. With that, he lifted his free hand and pressed it to the clone's nose and mouth. Sen awoke and moved to start a struggle, but the surgical tool came in and quieted him for good in a matter of seconds. Blood flowed lazily onto the floor while glazed eyes stared blankly at Amni. He smiled and then spit on the gaping wound before he moved on to the next clone and did the same. Before long, the smell of blood was thick in the air and Amni settled down in his bunk. A chuckle left him and he lifted the tool to cure himself of his infection. The last noise to be made in the quarters was the clang of the piece of metal falling to the blood stained floor.

We are not murderers. Poisoned and infected, yes. But would a murderer choose to save his brothers from this venom of illusion? I think not.


	2. Message Sent

The revamp of chapter 2 in this tale- enjoy!

All games and shows are (c) their respective owners.

* * *

_If you get this message, I don't have much time to explain. They're going to break through any minute... Shit!_

The clone, perhaps the last living one on board, tried desperately to maintain the signal. But hotwiring the holo-transmitter and trying to relay a message with only one arm wasn't an easy task; especially when blood loss and exhaustion were added into the mix. In the background snarls and garbled noises could be faintly heard over the sound of heavy pounding.

_Some kind of disease is infecting the ship. It's taking over dead bodies and reanimating them. Do not board the ship! Repeat! Do NOT board Jericho! They must be contained! I've tried making the ship's navigation system direct us towards the nearest star, but everything's shot._

The clone paused momentarily to look back at the door he had barricaded and then to the bloody stump that remained of his right arm. Things went to hell so quickly. First it was the discovery of Amni and his troop all dead… The next thing they knew, the bodies were convulsing and twitching as their bodies were warped and mutated into horrific creatures. And then, despite them having been labeled as clearly dead, they began growling and snarling and roaring. Their eyes were milky yellow and glazed… full of rage and a primal hunger for blood.

He could see flashes of blaster fire, blood coating entire stretches of wall and floor, even the the mangled bodies of the dead. The thought of the carnage made bile well up in his mouth and mix with blood. He spit it out and scowled upon seeing it was a sickly yellow. Apparently he was infected too… Summoning up as much strength as he could, the wounded soldier went back to trying to send the message. That is, until a horrifying screech of metal met his ears. They had finally broken through! Adrenaline began pumping once more, he tended to the holo-table with renewed urgency.

_DON'T BOARD THIS SHIP! If you can, guide this ship into a star and destroy it! I repeat, guide this ship into a fucking star! Don't let there be any debris! It might contain one of theaaaaaaagggh!_

A mind numbingly intense explosion of pain erupted from his lower back. The numbness blossomed lower and lower until he couldn't feel his feet, let alone move them. His upper body trembling, he glanced over his shoulder to see that the bony weapon of one of the monsters had embedded itself in his spine, effectively destroying any of his chances of escape. Though terrified, he looked to the table and tried to send the message. But just before he could do it, the monster's second scythe-like weapon punched through the back of his skull, killing him instantly. Through the rough motion, though, the wires touched just long enough for the message to be launched into space.


	3. Message Received

Several new characters are introduced in this chapter with more to come in the near future. I tend to have trouble with longer chapters, so please feel free to give me some pointers in your reviews!

Jayed, Boston, and Matrix (c) Me

Clone Wars (c) Lucas Arts

Dead Space (c) EA Redwood Shores

* * *

Jayed could hardly believe what she was seeing. Icy blue hues that were usually soft and calm were wide with horror. Her black ears were swiveled back and flattened against her rusty colored hair as the hologram played out. What sort of monster could infest a ship so completely? What could have caused all of this? Why kill so many promising young men? Though the Jedi code advised against attachments, she felt her heart ache from the suffering and terror the men aboard _Jericho_ must have gone through. As the clone was impaled in the back, she visibly cringed- something that didn't go unnoticed by her captain and second in command, Boston.

A light touch on her shoulder was enough to snap her out of her stupor. Her ears perked up again and she blinked to clear herself of the shock. "The Council and Chancellor must see this." She muttered, shock lining the edges of her voice, "But before we relay the message…" She spun around and looked to a younger clone, "Matrix, can you isolate an image of the monster that attacked that soldier?"

"I'll get right on it, Sir." He puffed a stray lock of shaggy red hair that had fallen from his Mohawk and then turned to work his magic. His fingers glided over the glowing keys effortlessly and within a few moments, he had a portion of the hologram cropped and cleaned up. "What the hell… What is that thing?" He breathed once he got a good look at it. With a flick of his wrist, the image was displayed on the holo-table. Before them was a grotesque creature. There were human features, but they were twisted and warped by the infection. It was difficult to see what its arms were: either the scythe-like weapons poised for the kill or the limp pair of mutated appendages protruding from the depths of its guts.

It was Boston's turn to grimace and Jayed's ears flattened once more at the sight of the monstrosity. "I don't think I want to know…" Boston answered, eying the bony scythes that protruded from its warped and broken hands. A momentary blanket of silence settled over the area as other nearby clones caught a glimpse of the digital monstrosity. Perhaps what concerned the majority of the men was that, behind the horrifying disfigurements, the beast bore an unsettling resemblance to one of their own.

After a while, the captain grew uneasy with the silence and shifted his hand the slightest bit so that it brushed against hers momentarily. As the touch to her shoulder had done before, Jayed was snapped back to the present. "We should contact the Council and Chancellor now, Sir." Boston said. The two shared a short and silent exchange before she went ahead and made the connection through the holo-table.

* * *

"Hmmm…. Disturbing, this message is."

"I've never seen anything like it. But perhaps we should send in a search and rescue team. There may be survivors onboard." The Chancellor laced his fingers together and cast the other members of the meeting a concerned glance. "We could obtain samples to analyze as well. In case this does spread we might have a way to fight it."

"The clone gave his life to relay the message to destroy the ship. If we go on that ship, we might unleash those monsters onto other ships. He would have died in vain on top of threatening the lives of many." Plo Koon argued calmly. For a very brief moment, there was a flash of dark resentment in the Chancellor's holographic eyes. He remained silent, however, and allowed the meeting to continue.

"A point, Master Plo Koon has. Protect others from this incident, we should." Yoda added, "Yet… Survivors, there may be." At that, murmurs of debate arose. Some of the Jedi were for going aboard and searching for survivors while others claimed it was best to sacrifice some survivors for the good of the rest of the army. The debate went on for several long minutes with the Chancellor interjecting every now and then in hopes of turning the decision in his favor. At last, the Council and Chancellor came to a mutual agreement and Yoda addressed the young Jedi knight and clone captain what were awaiting orders.

"Jayed, scan for signs of life, you shall. Find any, should you, rescue them." He said with a nod. "But careful, you should be. What they can do, there is no telling. Protective armor, you should wear."

Jayed nodded, but seemed uneasy about the whole thing. Predatory senses sharpened by Force sensitivity and years of honing were going haywire; screaming at her that this would go downhill fast. While she wanted to rescue any survivors onboard, if there were any, she feared putting everyone on her ship in danger of this… infestation. To accidentally unleash such horrors like that monster onto her men… she would never forgive herself if it happened. Yet abandoning the few clones on _Jericho _that were still alive went against her ideals.

Either way, there was no arguing the decision; orders were orders. "I'll send out a scouting party right away, Master." Yoda gave a nod and spoke to the others for a time longer. She stood by as the meeting came to a close and patiently waited for the holograms to flicker and disappear before letting a look of apprehension cross her features. Boston cast her a concerned gaze from behind the emotionless helmet he bore. He had not seen the Jedi this put off in well over a year. For now all he could do was stand by and remind her of her position. At that, the captain cleared his throat loud enough to make the Jedi's ears twitch.

Jayed got the message quickly and straightened up. "Send out a scouting party to make scans. If there are any signs of life, they will report directly to me as soon as possible and return to the ship. They are **not **to board _Jericho_ for any reason whatsoever." She said firmly. Boston nodded and turned to leave only to pause and look back at her.

"And if you get the report of survivors onboard?" He inquired.

"I'm calling in some favors to assist us. And then you, Matrix, the favors and I will board the ship." Jayed answered. Matrix opened his mouth to protest, but thought better of it and closed it. He was vaguely aware of the "favors" the general mentioned, and could do without what went with them, but there was no way he would oppose Jayed about the issue, especially in front of the captain. As Matrix returned to focusing on his post, Boston nodded and left the communications/war room to give the orders.

* * *

Duster and Starplume were one of five teams of two to fly around the eerily silent behemoth that was _Jericho_. It seemed… wrong to see just a big piece of tech motionless and almost completely dark. It was as if _Jericho _itself was dead. As they navigated around the outer shell, they took care to avoid small pieces of debris and the occasionally floating body that had been sucked into the massive vacuum. Scanners emitted powerful waves to search for any signs of someone alive on board. And while the scouts detected plenty of movement, they were quick to discover that the majority of it was from the mutated creatures roaming around… as if in search of something.

For hours, Duster, Starplume, and the other scouting teams hunted for anything that indicated someone was still alive onboard. Those hours passed by with no results.

Duster was just about ready to call it quits and suggest getting out of there when something came up on the screen before him. "Hey, I think I've got something…" As he adjusted the signal input, he could pick out two forms huddled together in a medium sized room. For the most part, they were still, but occasionally one of the two forms would shift or look around. "I don't believe it… Starplume, look at this!" The second clone briefly tore his sights from the flight path and peered onto the screen, letting out a low whistle. "They're still alive. It looks like they hiding in…" Duster's words drifted off as he tried to calculate their position on the ship. "They're hiding in the freezer containers on the central levels." Starplume nodded and then contacted the other scouts.

"We've found survivors. I repeat, we have found survivors. We are heading back to inform the general."


	4. Steeling Nerves

Well, after a very long period of no activity [due to things in life], I finally managed to finish and post this chapter! The feel of this chapter is a bit different from the other mainly due to the introduction of a rather hyperactive character. But hopefully you will still enjoy it! I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as I can!

Clone Wars (c) Lucas Arts

Dead Space (c) EA Redwood Shores

* * *

Matrix had been right when he thought he wouldn't be too fond of the arrival of the "favors". The people Jayed had called were a Jedi-Clone duo known for two things: their frightening and admirable combat success… and their insufferable personalities. The Jedi was a young woman of the same beast-shifter species Jayed hailed from, but was nothing like her. General Kyra possessed enough hyperactive energy to put a super nova to shame, yet moved about in a body that was only a little larger than a young teenage human. As for the clone… Yazoo was an ARC trooper that specialized in unique weaponry and had an attitude that would have had him immediately discharged if it weren't for his skill and intelligence.

The moment their transport landed in the hangar and the door opened, Kyra was out and locking Matrix in a crushing embrace. She let out a hyperactive string of ramblings about how she was happy to see "her Shiny" again and that things were getting boring at her post. She only stopped when the young clone was able to choke out that he couldn't breathe. As she released him, Yazoo came up with his rifle-bayonet strapped to his back and his helmet tucked under an arm. He bore his trademark scowl and passed Matrix a rather cold gaze.

"Well? Are we going to just stand here or are you gonna do your job and escort us to General Kenja?" He grunted. Kyra was quick to give him a light punch on the shoulder and scold him while the grin remained plastered across her features. Matrix bit back a sigh and turned to lead them to the bridge. Much to his relief, the trip there was mostly uneventful.

Upon entering the bridge and passing Jayed a salute, he was permitted to return to his station once more. Jayed then proceeded to give the two a polite nod of the head and something of a forced smile. As much as Jayed respected Kyra and Yazoo, even she had her limits with them and only called them in extreme cases. "So whatcha call us for, Jay?" Kyra chimed, sounding all too casual. Yazoo remained silent and simply looked about the bridge as if he were looking at something distasteful. Jayed's smile wavered and she motioned for them to follow her to the holo-table.

With a few key strokes, the message was played once again for the two while data on the hologram was displayed for them to read. As she had expected, Yazoo visibly grimaced while Kyra's grin was wiped clean off her face while a look of wonder replaced it. "Whoa… What is that thing?" Kyra breathed, leaning in to look at the hologram closer.

"We don't know what it is." Jayed answered, "It was on _Jericho_ after contact with it was lost for a while. Aside from the certainty that the ship has been overrun by those things, we've got little to no information about what happened there. I called you two in because I got a report that there are survivors on there." The red-haired Jedi tapped a button and a 3D blueprint of the ship replaced the image of the monster. "They're bunkered down in the freezer containers. The three of us plus Boston and Matrix are going in to rescue them before they succumb to hypothermia or the monsters discover them."

"We've dealt with some pretty disturbing things, but this might take the cake." Yazoo muttered, "When do we leave?"

"I say we go right now!" Kyra practically shouted, her Cheshire-like grin returning to her features. "I wanna see one of these things face to face!" At that, she spun on her heels and was about to sprint off when Jayed grabbed the back of her shirt and pulled her back.

"Not yet." The more serious Jedi said firmly. "Master Yoda requested that we take safety measures and put on armor. Before we go anywhere, we're getting changed." Her eyes then went to a clone with sandy blond dyed hair entering the bridge. She let go of Kyra and nodded to the new arrival. "Dune, thanks for coming so soon. You'll be taking over Matrix's post." The clone nodded and stepped over to the red-headed clone's station. Matrix stood and spoke with him briefly before turning to the two Jedi and saluting.

"Sirs, I'll go prep and meet the Captain in the hangar." He said, already knowing what was going to be asked. Jayed nodded and the youthful clone took his leave. Yazoo muttered something about tagging along with the "Shiny" and followed him out. Once they were gone, Jayed briefly called the rest of the men on the bridge to attention. She explained that they were to remain alert and that they would be under the command of a temporary Admiral until she returned. With that said, the two Jedi took their leave.

* * *

The following half hour felt like it went by too fast. Jayed and Kyra had outfitted themselves with armor similar to the clones' that were designed to fit their different frames. They always had a set of armor if they were ever in need of it. Even without the request from Master Yoda, Jayed would have insisted on it anyway. She had her doubts about its effectiveness, though; the tail end of that message from _Jericho_ did show that the armor that clone was wearing did nothing to stop a bone scythe. Still… something was better than nothing. The two attached their light sabers to their belts with a soft _click_ and made their way to the hangar.

"You've gotta relax, Jay! Keep this up and you're gonna go gray around the muzzle in a year or two." Kyra said, smiling to her younger kinswoman. Jayed pursed her lips and flattened her ears against her hair once more. "See? That's exactly what I'm talking about!"

"Remind me how you managed to become a knight again?" Jayed inquired jokingly, forcing a cool smile. Kyra simply grinned and nodded approvingly.

"Much better! Now, let's go save from clones!" The hyperactive Jedi gave a little skip in her step and jogged on ahead, leaving Jayed with a more genuine smile on her face. Okay, so Kyra was on the hyper and annoying side, but she was also a decent motivator. Such endless optimism and determination also aided in easing the tension.

A pair of double doors hissed open and revealed the hangar. Off to the far right was the ship Kyra and Yazoo arrived in. The machine was a sleek creature that showed clear battle scars from various aerial and space battles. However, it was a pup compared to the transport ship they would be riding in. _This_ ship was a bulky thing that was prepped for just about anything except for quick turns. Within the hull there was a small med bay; no doubt they'd need it in the near future.

Jayed watched as Kyra bounded up to Matrix, Yazoo, and Boston her voice loud enough to be clearly heard from across the hangar. While she spoke, Boston turned his sights to the red-haired Jedi and then approached her like a missile closing in on its target. His expression alone said he wanted a private chat with her. Jayed nodded for him to follow her over to a quieter portion of the hangar and folded her arms as they came to a stop.

Golden-brown eyes stared her down while the clone's lips were drawn into a thin line. Thin lines of his face were exacerbated from his expression being pressed into one of grim concern. Jayed didn't have to see into his mind to know what he was going to say. "Jayed, this isn't like anything else we've faced before…" He started. The captain was cut off by Jayed shaking her head slowly.

"I'm aware of the dangers, Bos." She muttered, "But there are men on there. I'm not going to stand by with my tail between my legs while they await a frigid or gruesome death. And you know Kyra's not going to change her mind either." At that, a weak smile settled on her lips, "We are Hafvians. We are creatures born to survive in adversity." The words were spoken in a gentleness that had some sort of grave calm behind it. In truth, she wondered if they were going to survive this mission.

But there was no room for question. She had to be resolute. At that, she steeled her nerves and the two returned to Kyra and the others. While they climbed the ramp into the ship, Jayed barked orders for the pilots to launch and head to _Jericho_.


	5. Warm Welcome

Life sure has a way of getting in the way of writing, hahaha. Anyway, here's the 5th chapter up in time for Halloween! This chapter marks the point where the rating is bumped up to M since I love to get descriptive with the gore. R&R Please!

Clone Wars (c) Lucas Arts

Dead Space (c) EA Redwood Shores

* * *

Small clouds of breath spread across the glass as Kyra plastered herself across it as they drew near the doomed warship. With the majority of the ship's power out, the ship would have been almost invisible in the blackness of space. Only the faint light of a mid-distanced star illuminated the ghost ship in a light that gave about as much warmth as a glacier.

Despite being quite a ways from it, an eerie chill settled over the occupants of the transport ship. It was as if some invisible phantom was sucking up the warmth and pleasant thoughts. Matrix chewed his lip from behind his helm and then joined Kyra in peering out only to let out a low noise as they passed by a mutilated body afloat in space. He promptly turned away from the viewport and took to looking over his rifle and making sure it was charged up properly; a feeble attempt to distract himself from the image. Yazoo could only roll his eyes; he always wondered how such a flighty clone could have possibly survived training, let alone build up his surprising reputation for being a sharpshooter.

The pilot called back for Jayed, whom spoke with him for a few minutes before she returned to the others. The scouts that had been there previously had a hard time picking out a functioning airlock. The hangar was a no go: the shield that typically let ships come and go while keeping in the air wasn't performing and most other air locks were either broken or powerless. Only two locks were operational, the nearest requiring some careful maneuvering through a field of debris and bodies. It was time to buckle up until they reached the air lock. Once everyone and everything was secured, the pilots began to cautiously pick their way through the debris field. Every once in a while, a light _thump_ on the hull could be heard as a body was bumped out of the way.

The disembodied forearm of a victim drifted by one of the viewports, something which no one dared to really look at once they realized what it was. Boston and the other clones checked their helmets and sealed them with a soft hiss of air. Yazoo took a few seconds extra as he checked to make sure his [undesirably] long ponytail was tucked in correctly. Soon after, clicks and whirrs sounded as weapons and ammo were checked and secured. The typical prep for a rather atypical mission.

Several unusually quiet minutes later, the ship pulled up to the airlock and established a connection. The group of five gathered at the doors and readied themselves for whatever was to come. "Maintain comm link with Kyra and I at all times. Once we're on the other side of the airlock, disconnect with the ship and stand by for my call to return." Jayed called to the pilots. They gave a reply of confirmation and then opened the doors. While the air of the two ships began to mix, Jayed and Kyra immediately realized this was far worse than they might have imagined.

The first thing that came to the Jedis' attention was a faint aroma. Both being carnivores, they were well aware of the scent of death and the beginnings of decay. While used to such smells, it made the rusty colored hair on Jayed's head raise like hackles just the slightest bit. Kyra took point as they made their way through the airlock, her hands twitching with anticipation while her ears remained erect and stiff. Her wide, blue, eyes stared at the other end of the walkway with such intensity that she may as well have burned holes in the wall opposing wall.

As she was the first to step through the threshold and into the ship, a strange smile passed her lips. "This is really creepy. Like one of those ghost stories…" Before she could go on, Yazoo took the liberty of "respectfully" shutting her up, something to which Kyra only chuckled and complied. Once everyone was through, Jayed shut the hatch behind them and gave the pilots the okay to detach. A hiss and quickly fading hum was all they needed to hear and make it clear they were on their own now.

Boston and Yazoo took point from that point. They flipped their lights on and swept it over the hall they had entered. The place was deserted and appeared to be untouched. Not a single soul apart from the group inhabited the immediate area… at least they thought so. The two moved further down the hall while Matrix located an info hub. "Over there." He muttered. As soon as it was cleared, he trotted over and began to work his tech magic.

He wasn't as fast as an R-unit, but he could put quite a few other clones to shame. As the others surrounded him the young clone pulled up a map of the ship. The screen was dull from scratches and very little backlight, but it was still legible. "This is where we are." He stated, lightly tapping the screen, "The freezer containers are five levels down and about a quarter of the ship's length from the stern. This sector is one out of two locations with partial power- the other being the engine room. The rest have emergency lights, but who knows how long those will last."

"So we're operating in the dark." Yazoo muttered, not at all surprised.

All five froze when a soft shuffling sound drifted down the hall, followed by a raspy wheeze. Jayed and Kyra, whose eyes had now adjusted to the dim lighting, opted to check it out and made their way to a bend in the hall. While the men tried to protest the idea, there was no helping it; the two were dead set. Their hands ready to draw their lightsabers in an instant, they peered around the corner and stared into the heavy shadows before them. The smell of blood suddenly elevated to an almost overwhelming level, as it some large carcass was drained of its blood onto the floor. When nothing happened though, they shuffled around the corner and out of sight. The three men soon followed with Matrix keeping a careful eye on their six while they went.

The sight around the corner was a stark foil to the comparatively serene hall they had entered. Jayed pressed her lips into a thin line while trying to maintain a straight face. Kyra's grin had since faded as even she was shocked by the sight before them. Around half a dozen men were scattered about the hall… _scattered_. Several were missing limbs while one had been effectively cleaved in half, entrails and the contents of his last meal smeared across the floor. One was missing his helmet and stared into the air with a blank look of disbelief and horror, his cracked and chipped teeth clenched firmly together.

The smell of bile and other unpleasant aromas began to seep into the helmets of the living clones, making them grimace while Matrix bit back a small gag. Despite his fame in shooting, he would have gladly traded a computer for his rifle. Call it cowardice or quiet difference of opinion; he was much happier working on the deck of a ship than in the field. This was… highly unpleasant.

"This is fucked up." Yazoo finally grunted, the silence too much for him to bear. Stepping over to a horribly warped body whose back was to them, he knelt down to assess the damage. The moment he touched its cold form though, there was an explosion of motion.

A garbled and guttural snarl cut through the air in a cry of fury.

His weapon was torn from his hands with such force he nearly broke several fingers in the process. The normally apathetic clone let out a yelp of surprise and scrambled back just seconds before a bony scythe sliced the air where his head would have been.

Lifeless and dilated eyes stared down the disarmed clone with a wild gaze. Staring up at a disfigured face so akin to his was far different than seeing the holographic projection of it. Yazoo felt his blood chill and desperately attempted to force it down as years of training told him to never freeze up. Finally overcoming the shock, Yazoo let out a snarl and shifted to sweep the legs of the monster out from under it. It emitted an irritated growl as it hit the ground only to turn and take another swing at the ARC trooper from his position on the floor. A shot rang in the hall and the mutated weapon snapped in half.

Glazed eyes searched furiously for the source of the shot and came to rest on Matrix. His rifle was swung back in exchange for a snatched up pistol that had been left on the floor. The monster growled and made to get up only to find two well-aimed shots sinking into its hips and effectively blasting off its legs. Dropping back down, it flailed about like a dying fish before falling still once more.

The silence was deathly quiet and still with the attack ending as fast as it had begun- a silence that did not last very long.

"That little shit was dead two seconds ago!" Yazoo snapped as he transfigured his terror into his usual irritation. While he retrieved his weapon, Boston fired a single shot in the head of the decaying body for good measure. Jayed and Kyra stepped back and examined the bodies before looking at each other and coming to a grim conclusion.

Every single corpse was a potential enemy.

At that, Jayed gave an order she loathed. "Double tap every dead body for good measure. If they're dead, make sure they STAY dead." Though firm, she could feel her emotions quiver and tremble ever so slightly. It may be a miracle if they got through this mentally unscathed.

"Won't they run out of ammo real quick, though?" Kyra inquired, crouching down and poking at the remains of the monster like it an interesting yet gross toy. Jayed shot her a moderately unimpressed gaze in response to the question. This was a warship that had held soldiers on it. Ammo, unless locked up, wasn't going to be hard to come by. Her eyes then drifted over to Boston and the other men. They were the reason she abhorred calling the order; one could only imagine what doing such a thing could do to one's mind.

But was there really a choice?

"Whatever has to be done, Sir." Boston said with resolution. Undertones in the words made Jayed look to him for a few heartbeats before nodding. He knew her worries and the risks they were taking. Matrix and Yazoo chimed in to confirm the order themselves while this happened, which gave the young Jedi a spike in confidence. There was more than just obedience in their words- there was faith.

Turning to face the dark hall, she stood tall and started ahead with her senses on high alert for any sign of another monster. Kyra abandoned the monster and took her place beside her kinswoman, scanning for any sign of other potential assailants.


	6. First Hint

Here's a short little chapter after being gone for far too long! Another will be posted soon!

Clone Wars (c) Lucas Arts

Dead Space (c) EA Redwood Shores

After that first run in with the monster, their trek was shockingly quiet. Aside from the occasional shot at a dead body, barely any noise came from the group. They were all straining to pick up on even the slightest of signs that might indicate another one of those… monsters: shuffling, growling, anything at all. Yet the halls were as silent and still as graveyards. Perhaps the monotony and quiet finally started to bore Kyra. She was soon breaking from the pack from time to time to inspect one thing or another. She was never alone for very long, though; Matrix always lingered nearby with his weapons at the ready.

During one such detour, Matrix was examining a suspicious slash in the wall when Kyra gave a sudden screech. He wheeled around and let his gun make a sweep, but when nothing dangerous came into view, he regarded Kyra with barely contained impatience. "Was that necessary?" He asked, "Something could have heard that." He remark was answered with a silent grin from the Hafvian. Having heard the cry, it wasn't long before the others came to her side.

As soon as the pack was whole once more Kyra pointed to one of the many blood smeared walls. It was hard to make out at first.

Smeared in what looked to be a copious amount of blood was a message. It was written in plain Galactic Standard. "Arms and legs. Arms and legs…" Jayed read aloud.

"Arms and legs…" Kyra echoed musingly. Then suddenly she perked up. "I get it!" She said with odd delight as she spun around to face the group. "Didn't you guys notice that some of the bodies were missing their arms and legs? And how that monster thingy only stopped moving once my Shiny shot off its legs? That must be how we can kill those things!"

"Why the arms and legs, though?" Matrix inquired.

"Who knows! But now we got some info on them!" Kyra looked back to Jayed. "There was something else on the wall too," The energetic Jedi motioned towards a second line of writing, "but I don't know what to make of it."

Jayed leaned in and inspected it carefully, muttering under her breath as she tried to decipher it. After a few minutes, though, she straightened up and shook her head slowly. "I don't know. The first word I can make out, but after that it blends and turns into some written language that I've never seen before. The first word was "make"… I think the second word was "us", but I'm not sure." She reported. Boston stepped forward and took a look at it was well, only to come to the same conclusion.

"Make us what?" The Captain sighed.

"Frankly, I don't care. What concerns me is the condition of that wall." Yazoo grunted. He gestured to the end of the second line to indicate the bloody hand smear that then turned into claw-like gashes in the wall. Did one of the clones try to write a message and never get beyond the second line? If so… where exactly was the body? It was a revelation that got the group moving once more. None of them really wanted to stick around and possibly find out. As they walked, Kyra and Jayed breathed something too quietly for the living clones to detect.

"Make us whole…"


	7. Freezer Containers

Whoo! Two chapters in one night!

Clone Wars (c) Lucas Arts

Dead Space (c) EA Redwood Shores

* * *

Isa's entire body trembled lightly despite huddling close to Vahn to share warmth. Time had been lost to them since they managed to take up shelter in this forsaken foxhole. But the time that had already gone by didn't matter; what mattered was how little time they had left. They wouldn't be able to stay in the freezer containers for much longer lest they risk hypothermia. However the world beyond this little patch of safety was riddled with monsters ready to pounce and tear them asunder.

"Heh… So this is how it ends…" Vahn let a grudging smile tug at his lips. His comment was met with a warning growl.

"Don't get started with that." Isa tilted his helmet to communicate his glower, "Unless you want to end up like _them_."

They had both seen the horrors up close and personal. There were far too many ways to get infected and mutated. And though despair didn't quite do it, it had led to several others falling prey to monsters that spread the infection. They remembered one that tried to run and found himself pierced through the heart and his legs impaled. Moments after his last breath his legs twisted and fused into a singular, powerful, tail tipped with a sharp club while his jaw split to form insect-like mandibles. After the metamorphosis he rose and leaped away like a rabid hound. Somewhere on _Jericho_ that clone was crawling around, waiting to bloody that club of his.

"Trust me; I'm not going to end up like one of them. I'd rather be incinerated before that happens… But it's looking like we'll freeze before we fry."

"Will you cut it out?!" Isa's voice echoed painfully loud, making both fall still and listen hard. They waited… and waited… but nothing stirred. Isa let go of the breath he held and quickly busied himself with his com link. "I'm going to kick your ass so hard once all of this is over. Why don't you make yourself useful and help me see if there's anyone still out there."

"Fine…"

"_Hello? Is anyone out there? This is Sergeant Isa and Private Vahn. We request rescue of the highest urgency. We are survivors and are uninfected. Repeat, we are survivors and uninfected. Send help right away. Is anyone out there?"_

They had long since lost count of how many times this message was sent out. Each and every time it had been met with static or an eerie silence that had them feeling like something was silently listening. Once it was sent out they listened, expecting the result to be the same as it had so many times before.

There was static over the line, soft and foreboding. But then it started to sputter and waver. Both clones felt their hearts nearly skip a beat. The breaks in static continued and soon quiet whispers could be detected. The two hunched over the com link with wide eyes and held breaths.

"_Sergeant Isa… Private Vahn… Th… is gener… ayed Kenja… We… ave your posi…on. Stay there for resc…e."_

It took considerable effort for the two not to shout for joy. There were others that were alive! And they were getting rescued! Suddenly the chill of the freezer containers didn't seem so bad; they could hold out a bit longer. And from the sounds of it their savior was a Jedi to boot! They both knew it wasn't going to be over when they arrived though. No, they would still have to work their way to a shuttle and escape.

With that in mind, Vahn set to checking their ammunition and weapons. It was painfully low, but enough to get them to the nearest location for collecting inventory. While he was busy with that Isa took to studying a holomap he managed to smuggle in. While there was no way to assure its success he began to plan out a route and strategy for escape. Even if it didn't work, they were one step closer to freedom and safety...

And a haunting white figure began to notice the presence of the rescue team.


End file.
